Lance Briggs - Now Visiting Tampa [M E R G E D]
I agree that Rivers will not be as good on day 1 as Briggs at WLB but I would prefer to see Rivers on the Saints and use the other financial resources available to improve DT and CB.
Briggs wants a mountain of money to play a position that really doesn't warrant $10+ million dollars per year. He played in a system where the WLB was used differently than in New Orleans. That's not to say that he couldn't do it but he may not be as good in the Saints scheme. We also have to take into consideration that he will no longer have the luxury of playing behind Tommie Harris, next to Brian Urlacher and in front of Mike Brown. He will be, more or less, on his own in New Orleans and he has yet to show that he can handle it. Rivers has proven nothing but he would cost less and has fewer miles on him and the savings can be used elsewhere.
Eeyore, the problem with that strategy is you have a far better chance to improve DT and CB in the draft right now than you do in free agency. You could add Briggs right now, draft Ellis or Dorsey in the first and get a guy like Flowers or Patrick Lee or Tracy Porter in the second. Of course, this is assuming you also sign either Florence or Gay at CB.
Now, if we wait to get Rivers in the draft, who will cost a first rounder, and let's say that we do get either Florence or Gay, what DT will we get that can be a difference maker? You can argue Stroud but he's being linked to Buffalo and Atlanta right now. Plus, we would have to make a trade for him, which means we are giving up picks. If we have to give up, say, a second, then that prevents us from using the second round to grab another CB since we will likely need to add two given McKenzie's injury.
So, I think while it is true that Rivers would cost less (and I like Rivers a lot), I just believe that adding Briggs makes more sense in terms of allowing us to address other critical needs on our defense.
Finally, I am not going sweat the fact that Briggs is visiting Tampa. Charles Grant visited them last year. It means nothing. Tampa could be trying to drive up the price we may have to spend on him. Right now, they have Brooks, Rudd and June and a guy name Black waiting in the wings. So, I think the Briggs thing is more for effect although you can never be too certain.